Is Finding Your Dream School Just Pure Luck?

In 1997 we moved house. We chose our house on all the usual criteria: location, size, big sunny garden, all the usual dream features. Of course, we didn't need to worry about schools as I was 37 and my other half 42. Ha ha, little did we know! In 2000 our son was born and so it began.

I knew the school I wanted; the cute village school 10 minutes drive away, sorted. This lovely school didn't have a pre-school, so our son would go to the pre-school in the primary at the top of our road and then move on to the Village School.

Our son developed Selective Mutism through the anxiety of starting pre-school, and that changed everything.

We then didn't want to take him from surroundings and people he was used to, and all of the friends he had made. Except for not speaking to the adults, he loved it - so he stayed at the Primary. Due to a fantastic reception teacher and the caring nature of the school his Selective Mutism was gone by year 2.

Then we had High School choice. We were prepared to move house, but this is hard when you love where you live. We decided to stay put. We chose the local church school and our son is doing very well and, most importantly, is happy.

This is where the luck question comes up: the High School we would have moved close to had a fantastic Ofsted, great reputation and was in an affluent area. Last week I was alerted by a tweet about the school and I read about it online. Basically, the principal has been suspended by governors and was asked to leave the school following a torrent of complaints from staff, parents and pupils. Governors met with parents, many of whom offered their concerns about the direction the school was taking. Chief among the worries were a poor atmosphere at the school.

As a parent we worry about our school choices, but sometimes is it JUST PURE LUCK!

I'm a wife and mum of a 12 year old boy. Recently returned to work in a fab museum, if you can call one afternoon a week work. I have had RA for 30 years, hence the one afternoon work. A social butterfly and chatterbox with a counsellor husband.